Turn to These Shops When You Need a Last-Minute Cocktail Dress

We’ve all been there: We check the calendar and suddenly remember that there’s that party happening tomorrow. The invite reads “cocktail.” You make a mental inventory of your wardrobe. Dated dresses and pieces from 10 pounds ago just won’t do. When you feel that you’re over everything you own, the only option left is to buy a new dress.

Here are go-to stores for when you’re in need of a quick fix.

STYLISH VARIETY

Rustan's Makati

IMAGE Tadashi at Rustan's

The Ladies section of Rustan’s Makati is the land of plenty. With a number of storied local and international brands to choose from—Lilly Pulitzer, Tadashi, and Pucci are just a few of the labels Rustan’s carries—you’re bound to find something you can keep in your closet forever.

If you're looking for something fun, feminine, and fresh, you’ve come to the right place. LCP’s pieces from international labels such as Shona Joy, Keepsake, and C/MEO Collective will make good additions to your eveningwear arsenal.

This London-based fashion label offers a wide array of dresses to suit any occasion, whether it's an important company event or a grand reunion with the family. Here, it's likely you'll finally stumble upon that perfect black lace number you've been looking for.

Is your style more sweet or sleek? You can decide when you get there because the racks at BCBG offer options for both. Whether you decide to play up your feminine side with a lace number or go daring with tastefully placed cut-outs, you’re bound to find something that will suit your taste.

Proportion and femininity are key elements in this brand's arsenal. Dresses hug the body in a delicate way—there is enough room for movement. And even when pieces have a sporty edge, the contours always feature the woman's shape.

Perfect for: Pieces that stand the test of time

Ground Floor, Greenbelt 5, Makati.

Calvin Klein Platinum

IMAGE Calvin Klein

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In a party filled with frilly dresses, you'll stand out in Calvin Klein Platinum's geometric and boxy pieces. The shapes here are more rebellious and the fabrics more luxurious. Expect cold-weather surfaces such as wool and some silk options for outdoor parties.

Perfect for: Cocktail dresses for season-to-season travels

Upper Ground Floor, SM Aura Premier, Taguig

Lanvin

IMAGE Lanvin

Some years ago, Lanvin made waves with draped pieces. Its more recent collections still take after this fondness for making the body a foundation for undulating fabric. Current pieces, however, are more relaxed. The philosophy in the Lanvin store is a return to understatement.

The brands on the racks of Homme et femme are not the usual suspects—Simone Rocha, Noir Kei Ninomiya, JW Anderson, and many more under-the-radar labels that have come to have a solid reputation in fashion, apart from popular high fashion brands. The pieces here welcome the creativity of pairing a dress with pants, a top with a skirt to feign a whole dress, and wearing a dress as top. Your cocktail "dress" will not drown in a sea of one-note styles.

Featured in this Filipino designer’s Greenbelt 5 boutique are simple and classic pieces that complement various body types. Should you decide to have something custom-made for future events, the staff will be more than happy to set you up with an appointment at her atelier.

If only designers could whip up custom creations in an instant. Lucky for you, designer Rajo Laurel has an easy solution. Ready-to-wear pieces from his RAJO! Collection offer that custom-made appeal at your utmost convenience.

Perfect for: Formal finds with a bit of quirk

Second Floor, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati. For more information, visit rajolaurel.com.